B. The ability to understand the specific meanings of words or actions

– Required to understand ethics

C. The ability to rationally defend your ethical positions

– Required to be effective with ethics

Distribution of EQ & IQ

There exists a baseline of emotional intelligence below which a knowledge of ethics is impossible. Likewise, there exists a baseline of intellectual intelligence below which an understanding of ethics is impossible. So long as a person has this baseline of EQ and IQ, ethics is a knowable and understandable proposition. Generally speaking, everyone has this baseline knowledge and ability for understanding.

With all generalizations there are exceptions. Only a small fraction of the worlds population lacks the baseline ability to know or understand ethics. Some sort of severe brain malfunction is typically attributed to such conditions. Most court systems and laws make special allowance for those who literally do not understand the consequences of their decisions or actions. Such conditions can be permanent or temporary.